Direction signal



w. R. TONKIN.

DIRECTION SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, \921- I ,418,036. Patented May 30, 1922.

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v v r we "I Chicano? NlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. TONKIN, OF BISBEE, ARIZONA.

DIRECTION sieNAL.

Application filed December 7, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

rotary movement, said signal being in the form of a lamp casing rotatable with respect to the lamp, and wherein the cover of the caslng is provided with different colored lenses which may be positioned upon rotation of the casing to indicate the direction of travel of the vehicle.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a signal of this character wherein the lamp casing is rotatably mounted on the socket or support of the lamp, the cas ing being adapted to support signal lenses.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character, wherein the rear portion of the lamp casing is formed into a drum orpulley having a channel adapted to receive an operating cable, the cable being connected to the drum,

so that upon actuation of the cable by the driver, the casing will be rotated in the direction desired.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character wherein the support on which the casing.

is rotatably mounted also serves as a socket for the lamp casing, said socket being provided with means to prevent accidental disen agement of the socket from the lamp and or attachment to a suitable support.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanyingrdrawings, in which igure 1 is a side elevation of a direc-' tion signal constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

F igure 2 1s a front elevation; and

Figure 3. is a longitudinal sectional view through the signal and its support.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1922.

Serial No. 520,651.

Referring to the drawings. 5 designates a bracket or support adapted to be secured to any portion of the vehicle, preferably the rear portion. The upper end of the bracket is provided with a threaded opening (3. It

is of course obvious that the bracket 5 may be disposed in any position desired to suitv the convenience of the user, or in other words, to permit the bracket to be conveniently applied to the vehicle.

'A tubular shaft and socket member 7 is provided, said shaft member being relatively long and having an annular flange 8 on one end, said flange extending outwardly in angular relation to the exterior surface of the shaft and socket member. The exterior face of the opposite end 9 of the shaft 7 is threaded and adapted to engage the threads provided in the. walls of the opening 6 whereby the shaft is secured to the bracket and permitted to project beyond one face thereof. A lock nut 10 is threaded on the projecting extremity of the end portion 9 and adapted to engage the bracket 5 to lock the shaft and socket member to the bracket and hold the same rigid.

The signal proper consists of a casing 11 substantially frusto-f'conical in cross section. The forward edge 12 of the casing is extended in angular relation to the body portion of the casing to form a rim, the

purpose of which will be hereinafter de-- scribed. The rear wall 13- of the casing is provided with a central opening adapted to register with an opening provided in a partition 14 disposed inwardly of the easing in spaced parallel relation to the rear wall 13. A bearing sleeve 15 is disposed in the registering openings of the wall 13 and partition 14c and is adapted to receive the tubular shaft and socket member 7, the length of the bearing corresponding to the distance between the flange 8 and the adjacent face ofthe bracket 5. It will be noted that the rear end 16 of the bearing member 15 projects beyond the rear wall of the casing, so as to prevent contact of the bracket 5 with the casing, and thereby eliminate friction .to a large extent.

That portion of the outer wall of the casing disposed between" the rear wall 13 and the partition 14 is provided with an upwardly projecting flange 17 adjacent the rear wall 13, said flange cooperating with the adjacent portion of the casing to form an annular pulley channel 18 for the recepform of lens or cover is used, said lens consisting of a plate 20. The edge 21 of the plate is extended in angular relation to the plate to provide a rim or collar adapted to engage the rim 12 of the casing, the rim 21 engaging the exterior face of the rim 12, suitable fastening means such as thumb screws 22 being used to secure the cover or plate 20 to the casing. Carried by the body portion of the plate 20 are lenses 23 and 24:. The lens 23 is red and the lens 24 green. One-half of the plate 20 may be colored green and the other half red, corresponding to the green and red lenses, so that the plate may be readily discernible in the day time as well as night.

The tubular shaft member also forms a socket for the reception of an electric lamp 2!), said socket including contact means and also means for securing the lamp within the socket, the electric conductors 26 and 27 passing through the rear or end portion 9 of the socket member to a source of electric energy. By this means, the lamp is caused to remain stationary and yet at the same time project inwardly of the lamp casing so that the rays of the light may be projected to all portions of the casing. A novel'feature of this casing is that the outer face of the partition 14 is made of highly polished or brilliant metal which serves as a reflector,

for the lamp, in addition to providing a cable, as means forrotatably supporting the lamp casing, in addition to providing a support for the lenses of the lamp. Another important feature is that the exterior surface of the shaft 7 is used as a bearing for the rotatable lamp casing, while the interior surface of the shaft 7 is used as a socket for the lamp, the engagement of the lamp casing with the shaft and engagement of the shaft with the bracket being controlled by the end 9 of the shaft and the lock nut 10, no other fastening means being necessary, and all of these features are possessed by a de-" vice that is simple in. construction and compact in form and one that is capable of being readily attached to any make of automobile by an unskilled person.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A direction signal for vehicles com prising a support carried by one end por tion of the vehicle, adjacent the side of the vehicle, a tubular shaft secured to the sup port, a lamp projecting from one end of the shaft, a lamp casing having a partition therein, said partition cooperating with the rear wall to provide a bearing adapted to receive the shaft, a lens extending over the open end of the casing, each half of the lens being differently colored, and means engaged with the casing for rotating the same upon the shaft to position the desired colored portion of the lens adjacent the side of the vehicle.

I 2. As an article of manufacture a direction signal of the character described comprising a tubular shaft, a lamp projecting from one end of the shaft. a lamp casing having a pulley channel provided in its outer surface adjacent the rear wall of the casing, a partition disposed within the casing adjacent the rear Wall thereof, said partition and rear wall of the casing having registering openings, a sleeve disposed in said openings, said sleeve being adapted to receive the tubular shaft for rotatably supporting the casing, and a variously colored lens carried by the opposite end of the casing, and means disposed within said pulley channel for rotating the casing upon the shaft to alternate the positions of the different colored portions of the lens.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

WILLIAM R. TONKIN. 

